Objective To investigate the effect of acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points plus virtual balancing game on balance function in stroke patients.Methods Fifty patients with poststroke balance dysfunction were randomly allocated: 25 cases to the treatment group and 25 cases to the control groups. The treatment group received acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points plus virtual balancing game-based rehabilitation training and the control group, virtual balancing game-based rehabilitation training alone. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) score, the COP offset distance indices (EO2, EC2, EOTS and EO1) and the modified Barthel Index (MBI) score were recorded in the two groups before and after treatment.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the BBS score, the TUGT score, the COP offset distance indices and the MBI score in the two groups of patients (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the BBS score, the TUGT score, the COP offset distance indices and the MBI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Huatuo jiaji points plus virtual balancing game is an effective way to treat poststroke balance dysfunction.

Objective To observe the effect of digital acupressure plus mechanical sputum expectoration on the rehabilitation of patients with stroke-associated pneumonia. Method Forty-six patients with stroke-associated pneumonia were randomized into a treatment group of 22 cases and a control group of 24 cases. The treatment group was intervened by digital acupressure plus mechanical sputum expectoration, while the control group was by mechanical sputum expectoration alone. The simplified version of Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS), Fugl-Meyer assessment scale, and modified Barthel Index (BI) were adopted for evaluation before and after intervention. Result After treatment, CPIS, Fugl-Meyer and BI scores were changed significantly in both groups (P<0.01). There were significant differences in comparing the CPIS, Fugl-Meyer and BI scores between the two groups after intervention (P<0.05). After intervention, the two groups showed a negative correlation between CPIS score and Fugl-Meyer score, as well as between CPIS score and BI score. Conclusion Digital acupressure plus mechanical sputum expectoration can effectively improve the pulmonary symptoms in patients with stroke-associated pneumonia, benefiting the rehabilitation of the post-stroke patients.

OBJECTIVETo comparatively observe the curative effect, adverse reaction and compliance of Modified Xiaoyao Pill combining amitriptyline (MXP-At) in treating patients with depression.

METHODSSixty-four patients with diagnosis of depression matched to the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders (CCMD-3) were randomly assigned to 2 groups, the treatment group treated with MXP-At and the control group with fluoxeline, 32 cases in each group. The curative effect was evaluated by Hamilton depression (HAMD) scale and the adverse reaction was recorded before treatment and at the 2nd, 4th and 12th week of the treatment. Patients were regularly followed up from the 12th week to the 24 th week. The curative effect and compliance in the two groups were compared.

RESULTSThe HAMD score dropped in both groups from the 2nd week of the treatment, and at that time, it was lower in the control group than that in the treatment group (P < 0.05); but at the 4th week, no significant difference was found in the therapeutic effect and the HAMD score between the two groups. However, 3 and 14 cases in the treatment and the control group were relapsed during the 12 weeks of follow-up respectively.

CONCLUSIONMXP-At shows a curative effect similar to fluoxetine on depression but with less adverse reaction, and is not expensive.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Amitriptyline ; therapeutic use ; Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic ; therapeutic use ; Depression ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance ; statistics & numerical data ; Phytotherapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

ObjectiveTo study preoperative diagnosis and operative route of traumatic diaphragmatic rupture in order to improve postoperative quality of patients' life.MethodsA retrospective analysis was carried out in 63 patients with traumatic diaphragmatic rupture,all that were identified through operation from January 1990 to March 2009.All cases were associated with pneumothorax and/or hemopneumothorax at various degrees.Forty-nine cases complicated with acute peritonitis and 41 cases complicated with hemorrhagic shock.Thirty-seven cases were diagnosed definitely preoperatively,22 cases were found in operations research,4 cases with inefficacious conservation converted to operation.Thoracotomy was performedin 24 cases,laparotomy in 14 cases,combined thoracolaparotomy in 8 cases and thoracotomy plus laparotomy in 17 cases.ResultsFifty-seven cases recovered,6 cases died of hemorrhagic shock (2 cases),pericardial tamponade ( 1 case),acute respiratory failure ( 1 case) and acute renal failure at postoperative 1 week (2 cases).ConclusionDefinite and timely preoperative diagnosis and correct operative approach are striving the rescue time and success and avoiding complication.

This study was aimed to discuss the dynamic variation of soluble sugar contents, sucrose metabolizing en-zyme activities and gene expression quantities during the fruits development of A momum villosum, in order to pro-vide the basis of improvement of the fruit yield. Fresh fruits at three different development processes (30 DAF, 60 DAF, 90 DAF) were used to investigate changes of soluble sugar components and sucrose metabolizing enzyme activ-ities by HPLC and UV spectrophotometry. Combining with the high-throughput sequencing expression profile data of three fruit development period, the trends of three key enzymes gene expressed in sugar metabolism were analyzed. The results showed that the fruit sugar components were dominated by fructose, glucose and sucrose. The concentra-tion of hexose (fructose and glucose) gradually decreased in peel. But in seeds the concentration of hexose decreased at first and then increased. The content of sucrose and the net activities of sucrose synthase (synthesizing direction minus decomposing direction) in peel and seeds were gradually increased. The expression trends of key enzyme gene in sugar metabolism examined by RNA-seq quantification showed that sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose syn-thase gene increased and then kept constant, but the invertase gene expression trend was gradually rising. Conse-quently, sucrose synthase was the key enzyme catalyzing sucrose synthesis and decomposition. The activity of sucrose synthase and sucrose contents in peel and seeds reached the highest peak in the end of fruit mature.

A new steroid with a long cross-conjugation structure, 15a-hydroxy-(22E, 24R)-ergosta-3, 5, 8 (14), 22-tetraen-7-one (1), was isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus aculeatus. Its structure was established by the extensive spectroscopic analyses, and its cytotoxicities against P388, HL-60, and PC-3 cell lines were measured in vitro.
Animals ; Aspergillus ; chemistry ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cholestenones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; HL-60 Cells ; drug effects ; Humans ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Molecular Structure ; Seawater ; microbiology

Objective To evaluate the effect of topical anesthesia with compound lidocaine cream coated on the tracheal tube on extubation response in patients undergoing Han-uvulopharyngoplasty (H-UPPP).Methods Eighty-four patients,aged 28-48 yr,weighing 91-108 kg,scheduled for elective H-UPPP,requiring tracheal intubation under general anesthesia,were equally and randomly divided into 2 groups:compound lidocaine cream group (group L) and control group (group C).The compound lidocaine cream 2-3 g were coated on the tracheal tube cuff and exterior before induction of anesthesia in group L,while the paraffin oil was coated in group C.Mean arterial pressure (MAP),HR and pulse oxygen saturation were recorded before induction of anesthesia,at the end of infusion of anesthetics,during extubation and 5 min after extubation (T1-4).Blood samples were taken from the forearm veins on the noninfusion side at T1-4 for detection of plasma adrenergic and norepinephrine concentrations.Cardiovascular events during extubation were recorded.Results Compared with group C,MAP and HR were significantly decreased at T3,4,the incidences of hypotension and tachycardia were decreased,the plasma adrenergic and norepinephrine concentrations were significantly decreased at T2-4 in group L (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Topical anesthesia with compound lidocaine cream coated on the tracheal tube can effectively reduce the extubation response in the patients undergoing H-UPPP.

OBJECTIVETo investigate whole blood viscosity changes at different time points in rats model with lumbar vertebrae semidislocation, study Shi's theroy of qi and blood and "Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" [symbols: see text], also reveal pathological physiology characteristics of spinal disorder.

METHODSThirty-six SPF male rats weighted 350 to 450 g were randomly divided into rotatory fixation group (RF group), simple fixation group (SF group) and Sham group (Sham group), 12 rats in each group. Exterior vertebrae implanted through L4-L6 segments of lumbar vertebrae in RF and SF group were connected fixed device. In RF group, L5 spinous process were rotated to right, and caused L5 spinous process was non collinear with L4 and L6; in SF group, external fixed device were simple connected without rotation. At 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks after fixation, whole blood viscosity changes were tested.

RESULTSAt 4 and 8 weeks after fixation, high (150/s), medium (60/s) and lower (10/s) shear rate in RF and SF group were higher than that of Sham group (P<0.05). At 1 and 12 weeks, there was no sigificant differences among three groups in whole blood viscosity (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION"Gucuofeng and Jinchucao" [symbols: see text] vertebrae could raise whole blood viscosity, increase degree of bloos stasis and induce or aggravate spinal disorder in further.

Animals ; Blood Viscosity ; Disease Models, Animal ; Joint Dislocations ; surgery ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Time Factors

OBJECTIVETo detect the expression of the peripheral blood P2X5 receptor at various ambient temperatures, and to explore its relationship with deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome.

METHODSSubjects were selected by questionnaire and expert diagnosis, and assigned to the normal control group, the deficiency-cold syndrome group, and the deficiency-heat syndrome group, 20 in each group. 5 mL venous blood was collected at room temperature (25 °C) and cold temperature (-4-5 °C) respectively. Then the expression of P2X5 receptor was relatively quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and compared at room temperature and cold temperature respectively.

RESULTSThe expression of P2X5 receptor in deficiency-cold syndrome and deficiency-heat syndrome groups was lower than that in the normal control group at room temperature (P < 0.05). It decreased more at cold temperature in the deficiency-cold syndrome group than in the normal control group (P < 0.01) as well as in the deficiency-heat syndrome group (P < 0.05). The expression of P2X5 receptor showed no difference in all groups at two different temperatures (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe expression of P2X5 receptor was different in different syndrome groups at various ambient temperatures. Ambient temperatures had insignificant effect on the expression of P2X5 receptor of the population with the same syndrome.

Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Receptors, Purinergic P2X5 ; metabolism ; Syndrome

OBJECTIVETo assess the clearance role and safety of Chinese herbal enema therapy (CHET) in clearing enterogenic uremic toxins in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients, thus providing evidence for further optimizing the comprehensive treatment.

METHODSUsing nonrandomized concurrent control trial, 96 CRF inpatients of Department of Nephropathy, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, from March 2010 to December 2010 were assigned to the treatment group and the control group according to their willingness. All patients were treated with basic treatment referring to clinical plans in the non-dialysis phase, while those in the treatment group were additionally treated with CHET, once daily, 2 weeks as one therapeutic course. The symptoms, serum enterogenic uremic toxin levels [including indoxyl sulfate (IS), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA)], and serum creatinine (SCr) were observed in the two groups between and after treatment. The adverse reactions were also monitored during the treatment period. The clinical efficacy and safety were also assessed.

RESULTSTotally 84 patients completed this clinical observation, 48 in the treatment group and 36 in the control group. The levels of SCr, BUN, and IS were obviously lower in the treatment group after treatment, showing statistical difference when compared with before treatment (P<0.01). There was no statistical difference in each index in the control group between before and after treatment (P>0.05). The post-treatment the IS level was lower in the treatment group than in the control group with statistical difference (P<0.05). Symptoms like fatigue, soreness of waist and knees, constipation and edema were partially relieved in both groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). The ratios of anorexia and nausea in patients of the treatment group was lowered after treatment (P<0.05). Besides, patients in the treatment group could defecate for more than once daily during the enema treatment period, dominated as rotten and soft feces. No severe adverse event occurred during the treatment period.

CONCLUSIONCHET combined basic treatment could lower the serum levels of enterogenic uremic toxins (IS and BUN) of CRF patients in a short period.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; blood ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Enema ; Female ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; blood ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Urea ; blood ; Uric Acid ; blood